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What’s This About Child Support?

Every child has a right to receive support from both parents even if the parents are divorced, separated or never married. The Family Support Division helps families get the support they need.

Who is eligible for child support services?

The Missouri Family Support Division (FSD) is a state agency that provides child support services to:

• Custodial parents - parents who live with the children.
• Noncustodial parents - parents who do not live with the children.
• Custodians - legal guardians of the children (other than the parents).
• Adult children - persons between the ages 18–21.
• Alleged fathers - men whose fatherhood is in question.

A person does not have to live in Missouri to receive FSD’s services. If children receive public assistance, FSD will automatically provide services. If children do not receive public assistance, a person can apply for services.

What help is available?

FSD helps families by providing the following services:

Location – If a parent’s whereabouts is unknown, FSD uses the following resources to help find that parent:

• Division of Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing records;
• Division of Employment Security records;
• State Parent Locator Service, which provides information from Missouri tax records, the Department of Corrections and other states’ locator resources;
• Federal Parent Locator Service, which provides information from the Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Defense and other federal locator resources; and
• New Hire Reporting, which employers use to report newly hired employees to FSD.

 Paternity Establishment – FSD can help establish paternity (legal fatherhood) for children born to unmarried parents. If the parents are certain “dad” is the child’s father, all they need to do is sign a form. In Missouri the form is called the Affidavit Acknowledging Paternity. If there is any doubt who the child’s father is, FSD can arrange for genetic tests. If the genetic tests show the man to be the child’s father, FSD or the court may enter an order establishing paternity.

Establishment and Review of Support Orders – FSD establishes child and medical support orders when a support order does not exist. FSD also reviews existing child and medical support orders to determine if the orders should be changed. When determining the amount of the child support payment, FSD staff use the child support guidelines established by the Missouri Supreme Court. The guidelines consider the income of both parents.

Enforcement of Support Orders – FSD helps families receive their child, medical and spousal support by:

• Withholding income (wages, Workers’ Compensation benefits, unemployment compensation benefits, etc.);
• Intercepting federal and state income tax refunds;
• Ordering employers to enroll noncustodial parents’ children in health care plans;
• Reporting noncustodial parents who owe past–due support to credit bureaus;
• Filing liens on personal and/or real property;
• Intercepting lottery winnings;
• Suspending licenses (drivers, recreational, professional);
• Asking the prosecuting attorney to file civil contempt or criminal non–support charges; and
• Working with other states to collect support when noncustodial parents live outside Missouri.

Parents’ Fair Share – Parents’ Fair Share is a program that helps noncustodial parents become self–sufficient so they can financially support their children.

Services include:

• Parent education
• Remedial education
• Job training and search
• Peer support
• Mediation
• Child support services

What information is needed?

FSD staff want to provide helpful and courteous service. Parents can help by providing as much information as possible. Information they can provide includes:

• Legal documents such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees and support payment records;
• Information about the other parent’s home address, employer and/or other income source;
• Complete financial information; and
• Any changes in job, address or health care coverage.

How can support payments be made and received?

FSD offers several ways for child support payments to be made and received. Information on all of these methods may be obtained by calling one of the telephone numbers below or viewing the Internet site listed.

If you are ordered to pay child support, you may:

• Arrange for automatic withdrawal from your checking or savings account;
• Make online support payments at: mo.smartchildsupport.com;
• Send a check or money order; or
• Send a payment through Western Union®.

If you receive child support, you may:

• Arrange for direct deposit of your payments into your bank account; or
• Receive payments on the SecuritE Card, which is a prepaid debit MasterCard® loaded with your support payments.

If you have further questions about child support, please contact your nearest child support office.

• View a printable PDF version of "What's This About Child Support?".